Tattoo artist fined for buying, selling protected bird

A New Hampshire tattoo artist has been fined $1,000 for buying and selling a stuffed bird that's protected under federal wildlife laws

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire tattoo artist has been fined $1,000 for buying and selling a stuffed bird that's protected under federal wildlife laws.

Thirty-one-year-old Jeremiah Loui, of Dover, was convicted of possessing the Northern Goshawk raptor. Prosecutors say he had 45 taxidermied birds at one time or another, 14 of which were protected and subject to forfeiture. They included hawks, owls, guzzards and a plovercrest.

The Portsmouth Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2pD5C4O) authorities intercepted a parcel shipped to Loui from Germany with the goshawk and other birds.

As part of a plea agreement, Loui, who had no criminal history, agreed to forfeit any interest he has in any of the protected birds.